Launch from Cape Canaveral (
KSC);
landing on Cape Canaveral (
KSC). The fourth Space Station assembly flight
ISS-2A.2b utilized the SPACEHAB Double Module and the
Integrated Cargo Carrier (
ICC) to bring supplies to the station.
The
goal of the flight was to prepare Zvezda for the arrival of the first
residents, or Expedition, crew later in the fall of 2000 and the start of a
permanent human presence on the new outpost.
Following a two day solo
flight the Atlantis docked with the
ISS on September 10, 2000.
The only
EVA
was performed by Edward
Lu and
Yuri
Malenchenko on September 11, 2000 (6h 15m) to complete final
connections (electrical-, data- and television cables) between Zvezda module
and component Zarya. A magnometer was boomed to a port of Zvezda module. The
magnetometer serves as a three-dimensional compass designed to minimize Zvezda
propellant usage by relaying information to the module's computers regarding
its orientation relative to the Earth.
On flight day four the crew
entered the International Space Station through Pressurized Mating Adapter-2
(
PMA-2) to begin the transfer operations of more than
three tons of hardware and supplies. Transfer of supplies and maintenance tasks
continued well into the fifth day, while orbiter consumables remained above the
required levels allowing managers to extend the mission one additional day.
Finally they placed two Russian Orlan space suits near the air lock.